Breastfeeding - What Others Don't Tell You

As a mom who breastfed exclusively for 12 months, and continued on for another 4 months beyond that, I know better than most the common pitfalls and joys of breastfeeding a child. Before my son was born I was offered a breastfeeding class at my local hospital and was told often the benefits of breastfeeding. After my son was born, though, I experienced firsthand those benefits as well as the snags that came along with nourishing my child beyond the womb. I also discovered that there are things no one will tell you about nursing your child.

You will be thirsty the entire time:

I cannot tell how long it took me to learn this. I would get comfy in bed or a chair, ready to be completely content for the next 10 minutes (Or 60. Yeah, babies aren't predictable.) and then only two minutes in and I was dying of thirst. Of course, at this point it is either silently suffer or risk a baby-sized meltdown when you have to get up and get your glass of water. After a few months (I was a slow learner?) I finally realized that no matter how full I was beforehand; that even if I was water-logged, I was going to need a tall glass of water or juice.

Breastfeeding, exclusively or not, isn't easy:

Now of course there will be exceptions to the rule, but for the most part breastfeeding is hard. It takes time and patience and sometimes pain. You will be just dozing off to sleep and your child will wake and you can pray for a short nursing time, but Murphy will be hiding around the corner, finding ways to wake your little angel just as they start to doze off. You will endure lack of sleep, biting, sore nipples, loss of feeling in your breasts, leaking that stains your shirts, engorgement that leads to rock hard breasts, choking babies, (Thanks to engorgement the milk comes out a little faster than normal sometimes.) and that is what they call the tip of the iceberg.

Breastfeeding isn't all bad, either:

Now, don't let that last bit didn't scare you off forever. Breastfeeding is an amazing, wonderful thing that has innumerable benefits for your child and yourself, not to mention the benefits for society and your pocketbook. Breastfeeding leads to healthier children, which leads to less time and money spent at the doctor. Breastfeeding has been shown to lower risk of cancer, osteoporosis, and the weight of the mother when a sensible diet is followed. And that isn't even to mention the money psychological benefits to the mother and child. Nursing has been shown to lead to a stronger mother-child bond as well as releasing endorphins that can help ward off against depression. The benefits of breastfeeding go on and on and on.

People are not going to be okay with your decision:

Welcome to parenthood, as well as one of the most controversial choices you are required to make. There will be zealots on either side telling you what to do, how to do it, and why you are just so wrong. I have been told everything from breastfeeding is disgusting to being told that my breast milk wasn't enough to sustain my son. When breastfeeding in public you have to endure bigotry in the form of dirty remarks and looks, tales of "back in my day" and gawking. Even friends who have no kids will feel the need to tell their stories of when they were or weren't breastfed or why they feel it is wrong. I was genuinely shocked by the reaction most people had when they found out I was breastfeeding.

But the bottom line is that you are your child's parent and decide what is best for them and for you. And as long as you are making the decisions you feel best, no one else matters. Being somewhat shy it took me a while to learn how to do it, but you must learn to say, "I respect your feelings, but this is my child and my decision, so back off!" It actually gets to be quite fun after you gain enough confidence.

Breastfeeding is making a comeback:

What is really amazing is that breastfeeding is definitely coming back in style. Now, I hate to say it like it was ever out of style, but the fact of the matter is that there are trends in parenting and breastfeeding is one of those trends. Programs like WIC and parenting classes are all touting the benefits of breastfeeding and even the ads for formula in magazines and on television say that nursing is best. We are hopefully coming into an age where breastfeeding will not mean shy mothers will have to stay holed up in back bedrooms while providing their children with the best they have to offer. Tolerance seems to be the way we are heading, and that means healthier and closer families.

Now, breastfeeding isn't for everyone. I have had friends who have decided against it for their own reasons, and I absolutely respect that. As I said before, what works for one person won't work for everyone. Breastfeeding is a beautiful thing that can only be experienced for a short amount of time, so stand up for your choice, whatever it may be. And if you aren't sure what your decision will be, try taking it one day at a time. You can always switch to formula, but it is rare that a mother can regain her milk supply after it is lost. Happy feeding!